Posted on 02/10/2003 12:34:28 PM PST by prairiebreeze
MANAMA (Reuters) - The U.S. military has prepared a leaflet for possible dropping by air, obtained by Reuters on Monday, that warns Iraqis not to help President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) or his aides flee abroad and escape justice.
U.S. military sources confirmed they had prepared the "highly classified" leaflet, which warns shipowners in Arabic that their boats will be confiscated if they help Iraqi leaders to escape, but that it had not yet been used.
U.S. and British warplanes have already dropped hundreds of thousands of leaflets over the two no-fly zones they enforce urging locals to tune in to special American broadcasts and the military to stop targeting U.S. and British warplanes.
The banknote-sized piece of paper pictures a warship at sea on one side under the words: "Do not help the Iraqi military or leaders of the regime to flee."
On the other side is a warning that U.S.-led forces will confiscate ships used to help Iraqi leaders escape.
"The coalition forces are here to obstruct (members of) the Iraqi leadership who try to flee. If you provide logistics or help or support to these people you will expose yourselves and your crew to danger, and risk the seizure of your ships.
"If you notice opponents escaping, inform the coalition forces. Do not let Saddam's regime escape justice."
U.S. forces failed to capture Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), the accused mastermind of the September 11 attacks in the United States, despite a massive effort in Afghanistan (news - web sites) last year.
One source close to the U.S. military said they produce a lot of leaflets, many of which are never used.
The U.S. Central Command in Florida declined to comment.
"All leaflets we produce are classified until they are dropped," Marine Corps Major Bradley Lowell told Reuters from Florida.
Reuters saw the leaflet in Manama, the capital of Bahrain which is home to the U.S. Navy (news - web sites)'s Fifth Fleet and awash with sailors on shore leave.
The United States has massed tens of thousands of troops in the Gulf region and accuses Iraq of seeking to amass banned nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Iraq denies this
Message to Iraqi people: IF YOU LET HIM GET AWAY, YOU WILL DIE!
As Claire Wolfe expressed it, "Rumanian term limits."
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